Into the Shadows
by Sandjewel
Summary: As Lionpaw and Heatherpaw continue to defy their clans, Lionpaw is haunted by dreams in a dark forest... When tragedy strikes, what path will he choose? This is an old fanfic I found lying around on my computer, thought I should publish it.


_I don't own Warriors. Hope you enjoy! Tell me what you think._

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**Into the Shadows**

"Good-bye Lionpaw, until next moonrise."

Her sweet, melodic voice filled Lionpaw from nose to tail-tip, and warmed his golden pelt despite the chilling wind that rustled through the trees, swaying the limbs as they reached their investigating fingers to the sky above.

He wasn't yet ready to say farewell. These meetings always seemed so short, for when he was with her, time flew by as if it knew no boundaries. He reached out and rubbed his muzzle against hers, purring deeply. The tang of her Windclan scent swirled in his nostrils, and he relished the aroma, wishing it would never vanish and leave him stranded, alone.

"Bye Heatherpaw. I can't wait."

Painfully, he forced himself to back away from the she-cat, wishing with all his might that she wouldn't leave, and she would be beside him forever, and ever...

He glanced into her eyes, glowing in the light of the moon. His breath caught in his throat at her beauty. The hazy blue orbs radiated intelligence and kindness and life. Graced by Starclan's light, they almost glowed a deep purple, like the last solitary rays that the dying sun casts into the sky before sinking behind the hills, or the delicate petals of a flower, gilded with frost from the first hours of a leaf-bare dawn. She stared back, emotions flickering behind her eyes: sadness, hope, love.

At last he broke the connection between them. "My clan will be missing me if I don't get back to camp soon. It will not be too long before sunrise."

Heatherpaw nodded. "Yeah, if I don't get back in time, Crowfeather will never let me out of my den again!" She winked at him good-naturedly. "Bye!" Without waiting for a reply, she scampered off into the forest.

Lionpaw lingered for a moment, staring at the spot where her paws had been only heartbeats before. With a happy sigh, his head pounding with elation, he headed back to camp.

His mind was occupied with thoughts of the moments he had just shared with Heatherpaw when a voice broke through the silence.

"Lionpaw? Is that you?"

With a hiss, his head snapped from side to side, looking for the cat that had spoken. His hackles raised as he combed the darkness, and found himself gazing into a pair of bright green eyes. A gentle touch on his shoulder calmed him as he was flooded with the scent of his sister Hollypaw at the same time.

"Relax! It's just me, you mousebrain! What are you doing out here anyway?"

Still on the defensive, he snarled in reply, 'Why do you care? And I could ask you the same question!"

Hollypaw's eyes narrowed, affronted. "Me? I just came out here to make dirt. But where were you?"

"Nowhere," Lionpaw grumbled. "I just couldn't sleep and went out for a stroll."

His sister was apparently unsatisfied with his answer. Her black body blending like a shadow with the dark night, she sat and blocked his way.

"No really. Come on, Lionpaw. You're my brother. You know you can tell me anything."

For a second, Lionpaw hesitated, confused with emotion. He longed to tell her, to open his heart and spill every secret and fear that had been haunting him for moons. But loyalty to Heatherpaw told him he never could, and he must carry the weight of his responsibilities alone. His amber eyes blazing with a sudden fire that had sparked from his conflicted soul, he stuck his face into Hollypaw's.

"There's nothing to tell! Now can't you just move out of the way? I'm tired and want to get some sleep, if you don't mind!"

And he shouldered his way pat her, leaving her to stand alone among the shadows, a look of grave loss upon her face.

* * *

"Mousedung!" Lionpaw hissed as the vole he had been chasing slipped under the roots of a great, gnarled old tree. He glared at the spot where it had escaped and sighed inwardly.

Suddenly, a raucous call split his eardrums as a huge black bird swooped out of the sky and landed on a twisted root protruding from the earth. Lionpaw stood, frozen, staring into its beady black eye, darker than a moonless night. His heart was immediately drenched in cold horror as the bird, a cloaked demon, rested its pupiless gaze upon him. A gaping hole pierced his stomach, growing, sucking away hope and happiness, drowning him alive...

"Do not be afraid, Lionpaw," a deep voice meowed.

Lionpaw jumped and tore his eyes from the bird. They came to see a massive tabby with broad shoulders, silhouetted against the crooked trees. The dark tom's amber eyes held secrets long past, deeds carried out long ago, and now wrapped in the fabric of time, beyond forgiving or lamenting.

"The raven will not hurt you. It is a friend."

Shaking so badly that his paws would barely support him, Lionpaw sank to the ground.

"Weak! Get to your paws!" another voice snarled at Lionpaw to his left, and he whirled around to face a pair of icy blue eyes, set in another dark face, sliced with the stripes of a tabby.

"Stay strong! Never sink to the ground and submit like a useless kit!"

Overwhelmed, the golden apprentice nodded nervously and rose unsteadily. "T-Tigerstar? Hawkfrost?"

"Yes," Tigerstar replied. "We have been watching you, Lionpaw. We have seen everything."

Lionpaw forced himself to stand tall and not flinch away.

"And we know how you feel. There is tumult inside of you, Lionpaw, a tornado of rage and confusion. The clouds are gathering. Now you must let the storm break. Use your anger, young apprentice. You are wasting it by cowering in a corner and fearing it. There is so much you can do with that anger, Lionpaw, if you are only willing to use it."

Lionpaw remained silent. What were they offering him? Peace? Power?

The great cats' outlines began to blur and grow faint and wispy as a weak ray of sunlight peeked over the trees. "The sun awakens. We cannot stay any longer. Think about what we have said, Lionpaw. Think..." Tigerstar's voice faded away on the wind, leaving nothing but the raven, which with an ominous caw, spread its wings and soared off into the darkest shadows of the forest.

Lionpaw awoke with a start, his heart hammering. Honeypaw was standing over him, looking concerned. "Are you OK, Lionpaw? You seemed really restless last night."

Lionpaw opened his jaws in a yawn. "Yeah, fine. Just a bad dream, I guess."

"Alright, if you say so." Brightening, she swatted him playfully on the nose. "Come on! If you don't get up soon, it'll be sunhigh!"

Getting reluctantly to his paws, he followed Honeypaw out of the den. As he padded toward the fresh-kill pile, he spotted Hollypaw out of the corner of his eye. She gave him an agonized look, before turning away, tears clouding her vision.

A weight of guilt dropped into Lionpaw's stomach. Perhaps he should apologize to his sister. He wanted to, but something was holding him back. He couldn't let go of the feelings of betrayal that had sprouted from Hollypaw's interrogation of him the previous night. She needed to learn to keep her nose out of other cats' business!

The flame of unexplainable anger rekindled, he snorted and grabbed a finch off the pile, then retreated to eat it alone, allowing himself time to cool off. As the last chunk slid down his throat, he heard his name from the other side of the camp. Hazelpaw and her mentor Dustpelt stood next to his own mentor, Ashfur.

"Lionpaw! Battle training! Come on!"

The realization of how tired he really was suddenly came crashing down upon him. All those nights of little sleep because of his forbidden visits with Heatherpaw were really beginning to catch up with him. His paws felt like lead, and it took all of his energy just to lift them. Wearily, he joined the other three cats, Dustpelt lashing his tail impatiently, and followed them out of camp, knowing that he was in for a long day.

* * *

A throaty purr racked his body as her tongue ran over his sore muscles, massaging the stress away.

"Ugh, Heatherpaw, you wouldn't believe how sluggish I was in training today. Ashfur told me to attack Hazelpaw, but when I crouched, I practically fell asleep!"

Heatherpaw laughed softly. "And then?'

"And then of course I got creamed by Hazelpaw, because her mentor Dustpelt told her to 'take advantage of your enemy's weakness,'" he mimicked Dustpelt's deep voice.

Heatherpaw's eyes sparkled as she gazed into his. "I'm sorry I kept you up last night," she mewed.

"Don't worry about it. I wouldn't give up these meetings with you for all of Starclan."

Touched by his comment, Heatherpaw didn't reply, though her fur prickled with pleasure. For a moment, there was silence, each cat listening to the distant chirping of the crickets.

Gazing up through a hole in the cave ceiling, Lionpaw noticed that the moon had sunk in the star-studded sky. His ears drooped. "Heatherpaw, it's past moonhigh. If I don't want to be asleep on my paws during tomorrow's training session, I should get to sleep a little sooner tonight."

"Awww...it seems too soon for you to leave Lionpaw. Oh well, I guess we'll have to play Darkclan together another night," she joked, flicking her tail across his nose.

Stifling a sneeze, Lionpaw shook her off. "You're lucky I'm too tired right now. Otherwise I'd teach you a lesson you wouldn't soon forget!"

"Yeah, but you'd have to catch me first!" She sprang to her paws and raced out of the tunnels.

Lionpaw hopped up and ran after her, inhaling deeply as he resurfaced under the cover of moonlight, filling his lungs with the fresh night air. He sat, panting slightly. Heatherpaw emerged from the shadows nearby and let out a mew of amusement.

"You're certainly no Windclan cat."

Catching his breath again, he stared at her in awe and envy. She wasn't the slightest bit winded. "I'll get you someday."

"Yeah, right." But she padded lightly over to him and sat, her fur brushing his side. Tentatively, she reached out her tail and slowly entwined it with his.

Lionpaw's head soared at her touch. He pressed himself close to her, enveloping himself in her scent. The steady rhythm of her heart matched his: their hearts beat as one. All the worry, fear, guilt mashing in his stomach disappeared. There were no responsibilities, or loyalties, or choices. It was just Heatherpaw and him, alone in the world.

"I love you Heatherpaw."

"I love you too Lionpaw."

She rose to her paws and faced him, her eyes glowing with the power of Starclan. He didn't want to let her go. Never did he want to be away from the Windclan apprentice, but all of a sudden, something pulled him to her and he felt as if life would never be the same if she wasn't at his side. He felt as if the heavens were being shredded as her tail slipped from his, and with one long, last look, she hurried away through the trees and back over the hills. Lionpaw stared with helpless anguish as she sprinted over the moorland, her pale tabby fur bathed in a ghostly silver light from the stars shining above.

* * *

"We hold the answers, Lionpaw...listen..."

The golden tom awoke with the whispers of Tigerstar and Hawkfrost still reverberating in his ears. His jaws parted in a huge yawn, which faded away into a sigh. His dreams had been filled with dark forests and paths that wound into nothingness, along with the sensation that he was being pulled underwater; sucked into an endless abyss. A few times, he was sure he had caught the underlying stench of blood.

As he padded out of the apprentices' den and the noise of the bustling camp hit him, he shied away, his head pounding. He needed to be away from it all, to think.

"Lionpaw? Where are you going?"

Just as he was about to slip through the camp entrance, Ashfur called to him.

"Um... I just want to hunt on my own today. I'd like a little peace and quiet," Lionpaw replied.

His mentor turned his head inquisitively, but didn't push him any further. "Very well then. I suppose I can understand that."

The prey was running in abundance that day, and Lionpaw was almost overwhelmed with scents and sounds. He made a few feeble attempts to catch something, but only managed one thrush, which he buried to fetch later and carried on.

_My heart just isn't in hunting today,_ he thought. _Yeah, it's across the border, running alongside Heatherpaw,_ a nagging voice hissed in his head.

Instinctively, he found his paws carrying him to the stream that separated Thunderclan from Windclan. He just wanted one glimpse of her. If nothing else, he just wanted to see her smooth pelt shining in the sun as she flew like a bird over the hills, her paws her wings...

"I thought that I would meet you here, Lionpaw."

He stopped short as a voice silenced his daydreams. Hollypaw sat in front of the gurgling stream, her tail tucked over her paws. But he was surprised that she didn't hold an accusatory tone. His sister's voice was eerie; he had never heard her that serious before.

"We need to talk."

Lionpaw's heart began to thump. Did she know? But when he forced himself to meet her green gaze, he found no anger there. Instead, her eyes were clouded with grief and sadness. He felt himself suffocating in her despondency. Numb with shock, he sat and stared at her.

"Today, as the patrol I was part of passed this border, we saw a group of Windclan cats. They were burying a cat out on the moor." She drew a deep, shuddering breath. "It... it was Heatherpaw."

For a second, Lionpaw could not absorb her words. He didn't pull himself away, but everything else she said seemed surreal, as if time had slowed.

"Oh Lionpaw, I'm so sorry!" Hollypaw's voice broke into sobs that racked her sides. "Onestar was there, he told us that they discovered her body floating at the lake shore. He figures that she went into the lake in a haste last night, and in the dark, she couldn't tell that the bank dropped off abruptly, and she... she accidentally fell into the deeper water and drowned."

"No..." Lionpaw whispered, beginning to shake violently. "No! You're lying! Heatherpaw's not dead! She can't be dead!"

His amber eyes met her emerald ones, and he gazed at her, silently begging her to tell him that it wasn't true, that any moment Heatherpaw would come bounding down the slope and laugh at him for falling for their prank. But Hollypaw only pulled away, unable to look him in the face any longer.

Lionpaw took off into the forest. He didn't mind the branches that whipped at his muzzle, or the blood that began to drip down his pelt from the brambles that snagged at his fur. He felt nothing. He just wanted to run, anywhere. He just wanted to run until the pain that was ripping him apart vanished.

At last, he collapsed onto the ground, his chest heaving. He closed his eyes, and heard the gentle lapping of the small waves of the lake roll against the shore. He just lay there, willing the pain to go away, as black began to consume his mind.

"Greetings, Lionpaw. Rise."

A familiar, commanding voice reached Lionpaw, and he pushed himself to his paws to meet the two tabby faces that had haunted his dreams for nights.

Hawkfrost stepped forward, his chilling eyes narrowed. "Now will you see? The life you have lived has no more to offer you. The path you have been following leads to nothing but death and loss. Heatherpaw is gone."

Lionpaw's head fell. "It's my fault. She wouldn't have been in the lake trying to wash off my Thunderclan scent if I hadn't visited her that night. If it wasn't for me, she would still be alive." Every word was torture for Lionpaw, but he knew it was the truth. A small tear rolled down his golden cheek as his raw and bleeding heart gave a painful throb.

"Perhaps," Tigerstar meowed. "But it doesn't matter. Come with us Lionpaw, and we will take you down a path where you cannot be hurt. No cat will be able to touch you. You will be invincible."

The apprentice slowly lifted his head.

"We will teach you how to let go of all these emotions that are holding you back. With your anger Lionpaw, we will bring you forward, and you will never need to look into the past again. Come with us, and you will find all that you ever wanted."

Lionpaw listened to every word the dark tabby said. He felt a strange energy burn within him, a fire that began to eat at his insides, and numb his aching soul.

"I will."

A deep purr rumbled in both of the toms' throats, and with a triumphant glance at each other, they strode off into the shadowed forest, their pelts melting away until they became one with the darkness. Lionpaw threw one fleeting glance at the starless sky above, but he didn't hesitate as he padded after the mighty warriors, leaving everything that he had previously lived for behind him. Overhead, a great black bird screeched as it swept over the treetops, outlined by a tiny sliver of moon in a sky as dark as hate itself.


End file.
